Suspension file



y 1943- F. D. JONAS 2,318,077

SUSPENSION FILE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 7, 1942 m EN TOR. Frank D. Jonas flTTOE/VEYS May 4, 1943. F. D. JONAS SUSPENSION FILE Filed Feb. 7, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII INVENTOR. Frank 17. Jonas HTTORNEYS May 4, 1943. F. n. JONAS SUSPENSION FILE Filed Feb. 7, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Frank D. Jonas BY ad q-sd 04 T TORNE Y5 ing marks must memes May 4, 1943 v 2,318,077 SUSPENSION FILE Frank D. Jonas, East Williston, N. Y.,

Oxford Filing Supply 00., Brooklyn,

partnership assignor to N. Y., a

Application February I, 1942, Serial No. 429,855 13 Claims. (01. 129-16.?)

This invention relates to improvements in filing devices of the suspension type wherein a plurality of v-shaped files forming filing pockets, filing cards or divider elements are supported from their top edges on rails by means of suspension bars, ears, arms or shoulders.

This invention relates to improvements in structural embodiments of filing elements to obtain interlocking or nesting action between the suspension or hanger rods or their equivalent as they ride on supporting rails to cause them to register or align either in a vertical plane or in a horizontal plane, or in both planes. An advantage -of this construction is that it prevents one or more of the file elements from riding up under pressure encountered in the normal movement of the files on the supporting rods during use. Another advantage of the construction disclosed is to eifect transverse alignment of the individual file elements which is of particular importance in certain uses where indexbe accurately positioned relatively to each other in a set of these elements.

In accordance with this invention which is illustrated in several embodiments, it is possible to maintain vertical alignment, horizontal alignment, or alignment in both directions.

Heretofore some effort has been made to accomplish the objects of this invention by means of special hooked ends and like devices for cooperation with the supporting rails which have the undesirable features of being expensive in construction, requiring excessive manipulation in engaging and disengaging the pockets with the rails, and in adding undue bulk or thickness to a series of such files.

In accordance with this invention the objects thereof are secured by means of constructions which are exceedingly simple, which do not require any additional or separable parts, and which add no appreciable bulk or thickness to the filing folders.

The full objects of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of several embodiments thereof when taken with the attached drawings illustrating them.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in detail below.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a suspension filing system of the type for which this invention is adaptable;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a plurality of V-shaped filing. pockets for a suspension system showing one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail, front elevational view of the inside face of the rear wall of one of the file pockets;

Figure 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional, longitudinal view of a single file pocket in closed position, the section being taken at about the longitudinal center of the suspension bar;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the structure of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of a modified form of construction;

Figure 7 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 8 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the longitudinal center of a pair of suspension bars of the structure of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a front elevational view of a further modified construction in accordance with this invention;

Figure 11 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 12 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 13 is a sectional view similar to that of Figures 4 and 9;

Figure 14 is a front elevational view of a further modified construction;

Figure 15 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 16 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 17 is an enlarged broken top plan view of a complete filing folder at one corner showing this construction;

Figure 18 is a front elevational view of a final modification of this invention;

Figure 19 is a top plan view thereof; I

Figure 20 is an end elevational view thereof; and

Figure 21 is an enlarged broken top plan view of the same structure.

The suspension type of filing system is well known, and as illustrated in Figure 1, it includes a pair of side rails or supports I which may be mounted in or form a part of a filing cabinet drawer. The filing folders 2 are suspended in vertical planes from the rails i by means of suspension bars or hangers 3 which are attached to the top free edges of the filing folders. The

' ends of the bars or hangers are hooked shaped so as to fit over the top edges of the rails and are slidably mounted thereon. As illustrated at 4 suitable index tab structures may be permanently attached to each folder, or as illustrated, detachably mounted thereon by means of ears which project into suitably positioned slots 6.

In one practical form each filing folder conat suitable illustrated,

2 v a,s1s,o77 sists of a single sheet of suitable material folded a thumb nail by slitting the metal at one end and alongamedialline to provide a V-shaped pressing it out into a curved cross section. It

pocket asillustrated. Asshownin 'isure3.thetop free edge of each wail of the inwardly to provide a fiap which is secured to theinnerface ofeachwall,asindicatedat I, soastoleaveapassageorchannelbetweenthe two pliesthus'formed by the line of fold. The innerplyasillustratedatlinl'igureiiisslotted intervalssothattheinder tabs may be mounted therein. The hanger bars I which lie in these passages are made of any suitable material such as metal,-fiber, Bakelite and the like, comprise thin narrow strips which may be slid endwise into the passages and of suiiicient length the necessary amount at each passage. The ends of the trip. as are suitably which may ride on the rails.

- In the construction of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive illustrating the first embodiment of the invention, both vertical and horizontal alignment is secured by forming one ormore dimples 'l in the strip and cutting an aperture 8' inthe associated plies of the folder wall so that the dimple lies therein when the strip is properly positioned. As is clear from'l 'igures 4 and 5, two dimples on each strip are sumcient, one near each end and preferably, but not necessarily, facing in opposite directions. It will be seen at once that the to accurately position the strips The advantage of having the pocket is folded over and from riding up vertically under pressure. In this shaped so that they shaped to form hooks dimples face in opposite directions is-that this makes each strip symmetrical so that it may he slipped into its passage without regard to which end goes first, thus insuring that the parts may be assembled bythe user without any difiiculty. As illustrated in Figure 2, when a-plurality of arranged in junta-position, as they use, the dimples of the respective folders nest and cause folders in all directio With this construction the tendency for one or mode of the folders to ride upwardly under pressure will be overcome. In addition the folders being aligned transverse ly, it is apparent that the indexing means of the various folders will remain in proper alignment. This last feature is of importance in certain specialized forms of suspension files such as that shown in my copending application Serial No. 418,358, filed November 8, 1941. In such a system which is a combined filing and visible index system the construction just described will insure that the coding and keying commonly employed in such systems will remain accurately aligned.

In the construction shown in Figures 6 to 9 accurate alignment of the strip as indicated at 3".

inclusive'the same results are secured by means of a different construction. In this case instead of hemispherical dimples V-shaped ears or lugs I are struck out of the hanger bars I in opposite directions to form cooperating keys which nest when the folds are aligned on the rails to again provide for horizontal and vertical alignment and to insure against the riding up of the folders under pressure. As before, suitably positioned apertures I. are provided in the associated plies of the folder walls through which the lugs I my project. As illustrated, the 1118s are defined at the sides by means of slots ,but it will be apparentthatifdesiredthemetalneedonlybeslit at those points providing substantially no open- A still further modified construction is illustratedinl'igures 10to lainclusive. Inthiscase thebomes llonthe hangerrodsareshapedlike 76 structed are mounted hangers in threading them forming one end of each so that they may properly nest, as illustrated in Figure 13. This construction also as well as vertical alignment. t

The construction shown in Figures 14 to 17 inclusive is'capable only of preventing the folders case the hooked ends I of the hanger bars I are will nest and form a resisting wedging action against any upward movement of the files.

As is clear'from Figure 15 the hooked ends are first offset from the plane of the main body of the hangers, as indicated at Figure 3. The depending portions of the hooks are then bent into two converging planes. As seen from Figure 16, the upper p rtion 3" the lower portion 3' inclines towards the right. when a series of folders with hangers so conof the hangers of folder pairs will nest and prothat this construction does not-insure against vertical movement.

The construction illustrated in Figures 18 to 21 is a modification of that previously described and is adapted to insure transverse alignment without providing agahist vertical movement. In this case the hooked end of the hangers 3 are ollset in opposite directions from the main body of the V The terminal ends are oilset in the reverse direction as indicated at 3. This insures that the hooked ends of adjacent hangers will nest in a manner to resist trans verse relative movement. y

In both of the construction; illustrated in Figure; 14 to 21 inclusive it will be seen that the constructions at the two ends of the hangers are the same but they face in opposite directions to again provide a symmetrical structure which does not require any particular positioning of the In some forms of construction the ofl'set hooked ends may be undesirable, tarlan advantage can be gained by the use of the invention of Figures 14 to 21 inclusive by only hanger in accordance therewith. The other end may be left flat as in the case of the construction of the other figures. If conditions require it, only one dimple or boss I, 8 and II can be used for each hanger. wise, it is Obvious that when more than one form of dimple played on each bar or folder. however. to use a It is preferable, construction disto insure proper es. Finally, it dimples need not face may project from the hanger when conditions make Provides for horizontal inclines to the left while in which event a utili-- least one dimple formed thereon.-

- pocket formed intheplanes of said ingfoldedtoform- From the above description it will be'apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject matter of this invention may be embodied in other specific physical forms, and I prefer, therefore, to be limited only as required by the appended claims and not to the embodiment selected for the purpose of illustrating that substance.

what is claimed is:

l. A suspension filing system comprising in combination a support frame, a plurality of substantially plane filing members suspended by ears corresponding forms-1 from said support frame, 9, tion on each of said members shaped by displacedges, hanger bars mounted in ment from its body plane and proportioned to provide aligning inter-nesting of contiguous filing members at said formations.

2. In a suspension filing system the combination of a support frame, a plurality of substantially plane filing members from said support frame, each of said members shaped to a form by displacement out of plane of a body portion, said forms being proportioned suspended by ears proiecting beyond the ends of the passages and being offset transversely of the longitudinal axes oivthe bars so as to nest with similarly shaped hangers and maintainalignment in the planes of said walls.

8. A suspension filing folder comprising a pocket formed of connected walls, said walls being folded to form passages at their marginal said passages, the ends of said bars projecting beyond the ends of the passages and being offset longitudinally of the bars so as to nest with similarly shaped hangers.

9. In a suspension filing system the combination comprising a pair of spaced supports, a plurality of file pockets each composed of connected walls, hanger bars attached to said walls for suspending the pockets from said support, said ends of said bars hanger bars having ends with V-shaped deformations so that each nests with the adjacent hanger bar to prevent relative transverse movement in to nest without separation between the faces of contiguous filing members. I

3. A suspension filing folder of the type described comprising a filing pocket formed by conwalls and hanger bars senected front and rear cured in the marginal edges of said walls, said bars having curved dimples formed therein so as to align and nest with each other.

4. A suspension pocket formed by front and rear walls, the marginal edges of said walls being folded to form passages, suspension bars in said passages. each of said bsrahaving at least one dimple formed therein and lying entirely within an aperture in the wall structure.

5. In a suspension file the combination comprising a pair of supports, a plurality of file pockets mounted on said tached hanger bars. each hanger supports by means of atbar having at bars being aligned so that and horizontally align the of adjacent hanger they nest to vertically file pockets.

6. A suspension filing folder comprising a of connected ing folded to form passages at their marginal the passages and being similarly shaped hangeaiI-Jss and maintain alignment 'l. A suspensi n filing pocket formed of connected filing folder comprising a filing walls, said walls be the planes of said walls.

10. A suspension filing folder comprising a filing pocket formed by connected front and rear walls, hanger bars secured to said walls, and formations on said bars adapted to nest and thereby'align said bars with each other.

11. In a suspension each of said filing elements havin integral complementarily formed aligning means shaped so that when supported in suspension .the elements in alignment.

a pair of marginal edges,

said aligning means nest in succession to hold 12. A suspension filing pocket formed of connected walls, said walls being folded to form passages at a corresponding pair of marginal edges, hanger bars slidably mounted in said passages. said bars having portions oflset from the plane thereof and the adjacent walls of said passages having apertures entirely within which said portions lie for transversely aligning said bars in said passages.

.13. A suspension filing folder comprising a pocket formed of connected walls, said walls being folded to form passages at a corresponding hanger bars slidably mounted in said passages, said bars having portions offset from the plane thereof and the adiacent walls of said pass es havin apertures ing portions of other folders to interlock a series of folders in alignment.

' FRANK p. JONAS.

filing system a plurality of filing elements having means for supporting them in suspensio folder comprising a 

